Gemcitabine is a nucleoside analog and a chemotherapeutic agent. It was originally investigated for its antiviral effects, but it is now used as an anticancer therapy for various cancers. Gemcitabine is a cytidine analog with two fluorine atoms replacing the hydroxyl on the ribose. As a prodrug, gemcitabine is transformed into its active metabolites that work by replacing the building blocks of nucleic acids during DNA elongation, arresting tumour growth and promoting apoptosis of malignant cells. The structure, metabolism, and mechanism of action of gemcitabine are similar to cytarabine, but gemcitabine has a wider spectrum of antitumour activity.
Gemcitabine is marketed as Gemzar and it is available as intravenous injection. It is approved by the FDA to treat advanced ovarian cancer in combination with carboplatin, metastatic breast cancer in combination with paclitaxel, non-small cell lung cancer in combination with cisplatin, and pancreatic cancer as monotherapy. It is also being investigated in other cancer and tumour types.
Gemcitabine is a chemotherapeutic agent used as monotherapy or in combination with other anticancer agents.
In combination with carboplatin, it is indicated for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer that has relapsed at least 6 months after completion of platinum-based therapy.
Gemcitabine in combination with paclitaxel is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer after failure of prior anthracycline-containing adjuvant chemotherapy, unless anthracyclines were clinically contraindicated.
In combination with cisplatin, gemcitabine is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with inoperable, locally advanced (Stage IIIA or IIIB) or metastatic (Stage IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Dual therapy with cisplatin is also used to treat patients with Stage IV (locally advanced or metastatic) transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder.
Gemcitabine is indicated as first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced (nonresectable Stage II or Stage III) or metastatic (Stage IV) adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Gemcitabine is indicated for patients previously treated with fluorouracil.
Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing, China
Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Lifespan Cancer Insitute, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing, Beijing, China
Panyu central hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China
EBG MedAustron GmbH, Wiener Neustadt, Niederösterreich, Austria
Department of Surgery, LK Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH) (Data Collection Only), Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Washington University (Data Collection Only), Saint Louis, Missouri, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth - Limited Protocol Activities, Middletown, New Jersey, United States
Tennessee Oncology, PLLC, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Beacon Cancer Center PLLC, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, United States
Institut Bergonié - Oncologie Médicale et Pédiatrique, Bordeaux cedex, Gironde, France
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